Ontario solution provider builds solar-power facility

IT solution provider Unity Telecom moved into a new energy efficient headquarters featuring 18 solar panels in Newmarket, Ont., a suburb north of Toronto.

Company president David Sherry, said that concept for a green facility came from the employees. “We had to build a new facility since we had outgrown our old one and the staff encourages us to take on as many green initiatives as we could. One of the more popular green features is the solar rays on the roof that can funnel back power into the grid,” he said.

Unity Telecom will be the first facility to be powered by Newmarket’s first solar generator, which qualified under Ontario’s new microFIT program for renewable electricity. The company installed a total of 18 three-kilowat solar arrays; 15 on the roof and three more near the entrance of the facility.

The microFIT program is one element of the Ontario government’s Green Energy Act. It encourages the development of small renewable energy generation projects (10 kilowatts of electricity or less) for residential and business installation. The power generated locally from renewable sources, such as solar, eases the burden on the provincial electricity grid. Residential and commercial consumers who wish to contribute to a healthier environment by participating in microFIT are paid for the electricity they generate.

“This facility shows that we have some respect for the environment and are socially responsible to our clients, vendors and the employees. Internally we got around the green initiative and we recycle everything and compost everything. We do not use paper cups and all the appliances are highly efficient and use low energy,” Sherry added.

Newmarket Hydro assessed and approved the project and worked with Unity Telecom’s project managers, Sentinel Power Systems, to complete the connection to the local distribution system.

Besides solar panels, the building has these other green features:

Roof construction has R-30 insulation with a single ply membrane (white) which reduces the heat absorption common in a typical tar and gravel roofing;

All exterior walls are well insulated, exceeding minimum requirements;

Abundance of natural light coming into the building from the many windows in the office as well as windows in the warehouse;

All window glass is low E solarban60 with argon gas filled units to provide higher insulation than typical windows;

Operable windows were installed to take advantage of providing fresh air during certain months of the year;

The pre-cast overhang at the roof not only provides aesthetics to the building but is also intended to provide some shade at the top window locations reducing the amount of sunlight-generated heat in the building;

Lighting sensors and timers to control lighting usage (both inside and outside of building);

Treated Concrete floors and partial ceilings in the office were left exposed so as to eliminate the need to install other finishing materials (low emitting materials such as CPT, CT or ceiling tiles);

Plumbing fixtures that were used are all water saving types;

Recycled furniture was used to furnish the building; and

The equipment used for HVAC is the new Lennox L series equipped with energy recovery ventilators (ERV). The L series come furnished with high-efficiency motors and R410A refrigerant, which is an accepted environmentally-friendly alternative and will only be the acceptable refrigerant by 2012.

According to Sherry, most of these green feature will be mandated code by 2016.

Sherry even outfitted the offices with used office furniture to save on energy.

”We did things like polished concrete not to use carpets and the ceiling is open, which is better for air flow. We did not use tiles and bought used furniture. It was a great deal and we did not have to use new products and this saves on heat and energy. It looks fabulous too and it’s not going into some landfill,” he said.

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Jim Love, Chief Content Officer, IT World Canada

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Paolo Del Nibletto
Paolo Del Nibletto
Former editor of Computer Dealer News, covering Canada's IT channel community.

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